Patrick McNally

Four players have been removed from Harvard's official roster and according to a report in The Crimson, some of the removals may be related to an academic scandal that swept the university late this past summer.

Max Everson, Patrick McNally and Mark Luzar were all removed from the Harvard roster last week. Stephen Michalek left the program in November and is currently playing for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the United States Hockey League.

On Monday, Harvard goaltender Raphael Girard told the university's student newspaper, “Some guys had to take a year absent. I won’t say any names, but like any other team, we might have some problems with the academic scandal. Some of them just want to take leaves to get more playing time and come back later because they were younger guys. Some other guys were just injured. But overall, they’re going to come back; they’re still part of our family and still part of our team.”

In August, the university launched an investigation into students who were enrolled in a government class for allegedly plagiarizing answers or inappropriately collaborating on the class’ final exam, which was take home.

McNally, a defenseman and fourth-round selection of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, had 28 points last season as a freshman and was named to the ECAC's All-Rookie squad. He had three points in seven games this season.

Everson, another defenseman, had one assist in seven games this season and four assists in 34 games last season. Everson, whose brother Marshall is a senior winger, was picked in the seventh round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Michalek, a sixth-round pick by the Minnesota Wild in 2011, told The Gazette that he plans on returning to Harvard.

“Basically I’m taking the year off from Harvard,” he said. “I plan on going back there next year. This is the best option to continue my hockey career, to play here before going back to school.”

He appeared in 24 games as a freshman last season for the Crimson, going 7-7-8 with a 3.19 goals-against average and an .894 save percentage.